Apparatus for making tires.



C. H. SEMPLE. APPARATUS FOR MAKING TIRES. APPLICATION FILED MAE. 7, 1911.

L,034,372. I Patented July 30, 1912.

2 sknms-snm 1.

W/TAES'SES HVVENTUR CHA LES H-BEMPLE 0 H. SEMPLE. APPARATUS FOR MAKING TIRES.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 7. 1911'.

1,034,372. Patented July 30, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 (NI EN TOR u}? CHARLES H SEMPLF:

the tread portion exposed.

CHARLES H. SEMPLE, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY.

A PARATUS FOR MAKING TIRES.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, (Tinnitus .l'l. SEMPLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Making Tires, of which the following is a speei tication.

This invention relates to apparatus for making tires; and it comprises a core mandrel, preferably sectional the sections be ng of such shape to allow the assemblage to be collapsible, a sectional flange ring having plane-surfaced lateral flanges extending as far as the edge of the base of the tire to be made, bolting means for securing said flange ring to the mandrel core, and flexible fabric pads of a contour adapting them to tit said flange ring and the margin of a tire on said mandrel and when so fitted to give-the assemblage a rounded outline free of rcentrant angles and permitting a constricting pressure; all more fully hereinafter set forth and as claimed.

In the curing or vulcanization of rubber it is observed that the effect is quite ditl'erent when the rubber in contact with metal and when it is not so in contact, and it is desirable to avoid the type of cure resulting on contact with metal for the outer or wear surface of the tire. In making a tire, it is usually formed on a metal mandrel of appropriate section, being built up of layers of fabric and rubber, rubber surfaced or frictioned fabric being largely employed After the tire is built up on the mandrel in the usual practice, it is part tally or wholly incloscd in an external metal mold used heretofore. The m tal mold always extends up above the edges of the aim, giving a lateral contact therewith and is usually made of a pair of metal sections which are screwed or bolted into place in such a manner to produce considerable pressure upon the sides of the tire. Frequently these external molds only extend a fraction of the total height of the tire, covering the tire edges and more or less of the body, but leaving A short-height mold of this character has the advantage that the tread of the tire can be given what is termed an open cure that is, exposed to direct steam in vulcan zing. After assembling the side metal molds with the tire, the whole assemblage is wrapped with cotton or other cloth tape or fabric and the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 7, 1911.

Patented July 30, 1912. Serial No. 612,812.

whole exposed to steam for vulcanization or curing. The steam permeates the cloth wrapping and gives the open cure to the tread of the tire; a type of cure which is desirable for the exterior or wear surface of the tire. But the sides and edges of the tire within and in contact with the metal mold under the same conditions receive a different cure and without the use of great precaution in all details of the operation, there is apt to be considerable difference in the rubber above and below the line to which the side mold extends. Uniformity of cure in this method is difficult to secure and there is apt to be a considerable proportion of seconds, that is, second quality tires. Another difliculty of this method of operation is that in building up the tire of layers of rubber and fabric, or frictioned fabric, (rubber coated fabric) irregularities in thickness are apt to occur and whatever the pressure of the side molds on the tire, these irregularities are not altogether taken up, leading to the formation of blisters and other defects. And there is of course always an unsightly line or seam between the open-cured portion of the tire and the portion which was in contact with metal. The open cured portion shows the fabric'impression of the wrapping tape, the

other portion shows the surface of the metal;

and since the tape is not unyielding while the metal mold is stiff and inexpansible, he open cured portion generally projects laterally somewhat beyond the line of the moldcured portion. This projection of the u per port-ion of the tire is enhanced by t e fact that the constriction of the tape, which is generally tightly wound around the as semblage, tends to flatten down the tread somewhat and produce a lateral bulge or overhang at the point where the side metal molds stop. Furthermore, with the usual type of mold employing metallic pressure rings to laterally confine the beads and adjacent outer surfaces of the casing, it is impossible to get uniform pressure over the entire exterior surface of the tire casing, and consequently uniformity of, cure is impossible for this reason as Well as for those before mentioned. Metallic presssure rings rigidly clamped against the beadsv and sides.

tos

of a tire give a fixed unyielding pressure,

while the fabric wrappings exert a. yielding pressure on the tread surface without, of course, in any way in luencing thslutill) oral pressure of the metallic rings. Only by chance can the flexible or yielding pressure of the fabric 'Wrappings approximate that of the pressure rings. The Wrappings II'lOIGOVtPY(EXQIt a radial pressure, or at least a pressure normal to the curve of the surface with which they Contact, While the pressure of the rings is substantially at right angles to the plane of the tire periphery. This lack of uniformity in pressure manifests itself in the varying character of the curved rubber surface. The line of demarcation between the surfaces curved under the dilierent pressures is clearl Y discernible, and injures the appearance 0 the finished tire.

1n tne present invention, I have found that by changing the method of operation I' am able to secure better results, giving a better and more uniform tire with a much less proportion of faulty products. In lien 01 usingstiff, unyieliili'ig metal side molds ooi'npressml laterally against the edges and body oi the tire. and curing with these molds in plat-o, l. give the tire the desired contour on the inain'lrol and then pad it with flexible pads ol suitable non'ineudlio material adapted to til against the tire beads and to en ga .j. the mandrel l'ltltigils in sin-h a manner as to give the whole as 'niblago a regular outer contour tree of rtiutrant angles. \Vilh lin yielding pads in .iosiliou. upon wind-- inn the assemblage with uoilon or other doth strip the Whole ()Xltrior surtave of the tire under the ans: r ndiiions as regard tho oonslrioling irossonl' lilt. in riosinu i'i'apping stripe, and the whole will uro alike. The r ps are usually put on wet and iitrari' =nnw-rliat by drying when tho tire (11' -i-i lo t-lt1!lll limit. giving a uniform denier oi onslrieiion over the whole outer surl'are of the tire with the aid i Lllt tlox'iblo pads uhirh bear \ieldine ly against the sid s f lllx tire from. the edges some distant-o upi. 'il along: the tire body. lnio tape extend over side inrtal molds.

(illlt'SC the ministi-irting pressure is lilllited to tho lop or lltflal portion of the tire; l i tin-rt is no su lii uni l'oiin ronsirirtii'e i ".1 Vftl the whole outer surface of the tirashoe or ea ing as produced in tho rarest-n method. The pads ll usually make r l abrir t'rioiionod. iih rubber as this when (:uri-d giies about the right amount of fieni for my proposes; while at the same pads so formed have the strength and tan Fe to deformation requisite to hold the tire lirnily against the mandrel Without. permitting any hango in the shape of the tire. These pads. not being metallic do not. give the different curing resulting from metal molds pressed into contact with the edges of the tire: the cure of the portion of the tire with whioh they contact is'an open cure l ke that of the tread of the tire. The

permeation of heat inward to the tire through the pads from the steam is like that through the .eloth wrapping strips and unlike that througl'i metal. I usually provide the n'ia'nilrol with short lateral flanges extendinp to the outer edges of the tire beads. Ilaeh pad may be, and advantageously is, so contoured as to have :1 lug fitting beneath a [hinge ot' the mandrel, thereby retaining the pad in place. The bottom of each pad should be rounded so as to make it possible to wrap tape around the whole assemblage and produee an even degree of constricting pressure upon all portions of the tire above the base; that upon all portions of the sides and top of the tire. In this method of operation no portion of the tire which is eX- posod in use is cured in contact with metal. The rout-act of metal with the tire is con fined to the interior chamber and the base of the tire.

In practice in an advantageous embodiment of my inventi n, I provide a metal annulus or (oi-e, which may be hollow or solid as may be preferred. his annulus I make of several sections. tour being a convenient number. n ith i-orrosponding ends so shaped as to all w the sections to be arranged in arch-like engagoniout, the several set-lions r adily yielding innardly when it is desir able to disassemble the w re, as in remov inn from the finished lire. To hold these St llOlH in place, I, usia si-otional ilat amnilar band sullieiontly wide to furnish a. projecting latrral flange on each side of the row for the support of the base oi the tire. This hand may be in any desired number of seething llllt't being a vonvenient number, and uriy be bolted or sex-owed to tho core to held it together during the tire making oprifatiou. With a tliroe-sootion hand, one of the joints may llt' butt to-butt and the other in'o lap or bevel joints. The lateral llansw; should rearh approximatoly to tho onto: edges of the base ol tho t ire but should not proioot lllR'WzilTl over such edges. Using sin-h r. collapsible oore or mandrel, frio tionod l'abrio and unt-urt-d rubber are placed on it to for l! a tire body of the desired (-liaraetor. vont ur and thirkness. The head of the tire may be formed at the same time; or a perf rated head of seniiaured rubber. rub her and w re, rte, may be used. The tire in position on tho mandrel may now be oompressed to ronipaot it and perfect the external outline or contour. A tter release of the iressure, the shaping tabrio pads are applied. These pads may be made by taking strips f *l'riotioned fabric and building up an as emblage of layers which on one side will lit accurately against the bead and body portion of the tire and the side of the Hanged annular band, and on the other Will have an outline surh that when applied to the tire, the whole assemblage will be given an outline free of reentrant angles, allowing a Wrapping of fabric strips, tapes or rags around the assemblage in such manner as to produce an even constricting pressure over the whole tire. These wrapping strips or tapes of cotton or the like are next applied, and the assemblage open-cured by exposure to steam. As only the base of the tire orthat portion which rests on the flanges of the mandrel is in contact with metal, the whole exterior of the tire, or the portion exposed in use, will have the same type of cure and it will all bear fabric markings and will be practically free of any seam or line of demarcation between the upper and lower sides of the tire.

In the accompanying illustration I have shown, more or less diagrammatically, certain embodiments of means for performing the described process.

In this showing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the assembled mandrel or core; Fig.

is a cross section of the assembled mandrel, tire casing, pads, and wrappings, ready for vulcanizing; Fig. 3 shows the coliapsible mandrel partly collapsed; and Fig. -lis av cross section of a modified form of apparatus.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 1 is an annular core or mandrel, which may be solid as shown, or hollow if preferred, and which has an outer contour complementary to that of the inner surface of a finished tire shoe or casing Joints as at 2, 3, and 4, divide the core into any number of sections, at least one of which. such as 5, should be capable of being withdrawn from the periphery inwardly toward the center of the annulus. Annular band or flange ring 6 is concentric with the core and rcn'iovably secured thereto by bolts 7, said band being divided into any winvcnient number of sections by joints as at 8, 9. and it). and one of the band sections, as 11. being withdra 'able inwardly as in the case of the core. The bolt heads are best c untersunk in the flange ring as shown. lhe sections of the annular band are best arranged to "break joints with the core sections. Annular rib 12 on the outer periphery of the removable band registers with a corresponding annular slot in the core and serves as centering means. Later ally cxtendinp tlanges 13 having plane up per surfaces atl'ord basal support for heads H of tire case 15 mounted on the mandrel. Til-c tire casing shown in Fig. 2 is the straight si'de type, having beads riinforccd by incxtensible members 16. Flexible annular pads, 17, of non-metallic material have their upper port-ions shaped to conform to the contour of the mounted tire casing and its beads and extend upwardly from above the beads to cover a portion of the sides of the casing, while shoulders 18 engage the under side of the flanges of the removable bands. It is well to so proportion these pads, that when assembled with the man drel and tire casing there may be a small clearance as at 19 between such pad and the flange, in order to permit uniform distribution of pressure of the pads against the tire casing. The outer surface of the pads is most conveniently of such a contour that when the parts ar assembled, the outline of the whole assemblage is substantially that of a. flattened ellipse. \Vith such a. contour, wrappings 20 of textile fabric or other pervious non-metallic material suitable for the open cure vulcaniza"ti0n are readily wound around the assemblage to put the whole exterior of the tire under the same degree of constrictive pressure.

The method of using the above described apparatus is obvious from the foregoin". The sections of the collapsible core having been assembled to form an annulus. the parts are then held in place by securing the sections of the flanged centering band to the core by means of the fastening bolts. The tire casing is then built up on the core in the usual way, the beads of the tire being basally supported on the band flanges. lVhen the building-up process is complete, the tire casing is firmly pressed against the mandrel by suitable shaping means to in sure close contact therewith at all points and to give a uniform contour to the tire exterior. The flexible. annular pads are next fitted against the sides of the tire, and

against the sides and lower surfaces of the band flanges. The whole assemblage is then incased in material which permits open cure vulcanization; and this is best accomplished by tightly winding strips of wet textile fabric around the entire annulus. The wrapped assemblage is next subjected to vulcanizing conditions, steam treatment being the best method to employ. llnder these conditions. the wet wrappings shrink. and owing to the flexibility of structure given by the lateral pads. a uni form constrictive pressure is transmitted to every portion of the cuter surface of the tire casing. l nliko metal elements rigidly held in position. the pads are free to adjust themselves. Furthermore, the permeability of the pads to open cure heat. gives a uniform cure over the entire outer surface of the use, such as impossible to obtain where such surface is in contact with or confined by metal. and the fabric n'larkings are uniformly distributed over the tire surface from bead to head without an unsightly difference between the top and bottom of the tire or an unsightly bulge, seam or blister at any point.

rfter the vulcanization is completed, the Wrappings and the flexible pads are re moved. Se uring bolts 6 are then removed and section I 1. of the centering band is easily withdrawn inwardly toward the center of the circle. This permits the remaining sections of the band to be removed, and section 5 of the core to be withdrawn from the tire casing without difficulty. The method of disassembling the parts is clearly shown in Fig. 3. The tire casing is now readily stripped from the remaining sections of the collapsible core.

In applying my new process to olencher tires, the modified type of core and pads shown 1n Fig. 4 is conveniently employed.

In this showing, 21 is a core having a cen- 28. The outer contour of the pads is such that when they are assembled with the core and tire, the contour of the as emblage is smoothly continuous and substantially elliptical in cross section, enabling the ready and ellicient application of the wrappings 2), which, as before, are best composed of cotton or other cloth strips. The core may he non-collapsible or ('ollapsiblc according as the the beads are extensible or not. In the showing of Fig. 1, the core is non-collapsihle.

In carrying out. my intention according to the method and employing the form of apparatus last described, the entire outer,

surface of the tire, including the under sur faces or base of the heads, is subjected to the desirable open cure vulcanization with all its attendant advantages. Only the inner surface of the tire comes in contact with metal.

What I claim is g 1. In apparatus for forming a tire cas ing, a sectional metal mandrel having a contour suitable for the intcrion of the tire. the joints between the several --ectiions being such as to permit inward disasscmblage- While resisting outward disassemblag epa sectional locking ring member having planefaeed lateral flanges extending outward the Width of the tire bead base, the joints between the several sections also being such as to permit inward disassemblage, attaching means for securing the locking ring to the mandrel and a pair of contoured fabric pads, said pads on one side fitting said flange and the tire beads and on the other having a face adapted to form a'continn one line with the tire tread and side substantially free of re'eTntrant angles.

2. In apparatus for forming a tire casing, a sectional. metal mandrel having a contour suitable for the interior of the til. the joints between the several sections being such as to permit inward disassemblage while resisting outward disassemblage, a

sectional locking ring member having plane faced lateral flanges extending outward the width of the tire bead base, the joints between the sevcral scctioi'is also being such as to permit in ward disassc nblage.attaching means for securing the locking ring to the mandrel. and a pair of contoured pads o. frictioxa-d t'ahi-i said pads on one side fitting said flange and the tire beads and on the other liming a t'acc :dapted to vform a continuous llllt' with the tire tread and sit substantially free of rct-ntrantangles. a

8. ln ap aratns for n'aaliing tire casings,

a mandrel having an upper portion shapedto fit the interior of a tinished tire caslng' and having lateral hcad su iiporting flange.

with piano upper snriaces, and flexible nonmetalhc pads adapted to engage said flanges and to laterally contine the beads of a tire casing.

-l. An apparatus for making tire casings. comprising, in ct'imbination, a substantially rigid core or mandrel, and flexible noninctallic pads adapted to laterally confine a tire casing mounted on said mandrel.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signa ture in the presence of witnesses.

CHARLES H. SEMPLE.

\Vitnesses:

A. Born M PISS, N. S. CONOVER. 

